Cilantro – also known as coriander – is more than just a tasty herb that gives your food a blast of colour and flavour. It’s a medicinal plant rich in vitamins such as A, C, and K, but also folate, potassium, and manganese. And the most important thing – it is one of the special ingredients that help with heavy metal detox!
The effect of heavy metals on the body
Heavy metals are substances that are typically metallic in origin and have a high density. Some of them, like iron, zinc, and copper, are required in moderate levels for human health.
Others, like cadmium, lead, arsenic, and mercury, on the other hand, have no known good effects and can seriously harm your organs, tissues, and cells if they build up in your body. Depending on the type of metal, quantity, and personal reactions, they can cause fatigue, headaches, nausea, skin rashes, joint pain, mood swings, memory loss, cognitive impairment, and neurological abnormalities, among other problems.
Unfortunately, harmful heavy metals are present more often than we think, and we can come into contact with them by touching, consuming, or even simply breathing them in in our everyday lives. Basically, it is almost impossible to avoid them.
Here are some of the common ways we can be exposed to these metals:
・Water polluted by old or uninsulated lead pipes, or by infiltration of paint, gasoline, and building materials
・Contact with batteries, mercury thermometers, lamps
・Seafood or fish from polluted waters
・Herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, and fungicides
・Cigarette smoke
・Fireworks and smoke
How does cilantro contribute to heavy metal detox?
Cilantro has numerous advantages for health, including its ability to improve brain health, lower blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and prevent infections.
It also has the capacity to support your body’s detoxification process from heavy metals that might damage your organs and tissues. Hence, when you introduce more cilantro into your diet,
you might be able to enhance your health and avoid or lessen symptoms of heavy metal poisoning.
According to the Medical Medium, one of cilantro’s most surprising qualities is its capacity to chelate, or bind to, heavy metals and aid in their removal from the hidden parts of your body.
How to use cilantro for heavy metal detox?
If you are aiming for a complete heavy metal detox, have a look at our article about Heavy Metal Detox. The Medical Medium recommends consuming fresh cilantro together with these ingredients that will boost its effectiveness:
∙ Wild blueberries – The antioxidant content of these berries can help shield your brain and nervous system from the harm that heavy metals can cause.
∙ Barley grass juice powder: This powder’s high chlorophyll content can assist in liver and blood toxin removal.
∙ Spirulina: This algae is a good source of minerals and protein that can boost thyroid and immune system health.
∙ Atlantic dulse: This seaweed is a different type of all-natural chelator that can bind to heavy metals and flush them from your system.
∙ Liquid coriander extract: This is a concentrated year-round option, especially when fresh coriander (cilantro) is not available.
How to introduce cilantro in your diet?
Cilantro is related to celery and parsley. But even though it also looks very similar to the latter, it tastes very different. From Asian noodles to Mexican guacamole, this herb is what gives personality to numerous dishes all over the world!
So, regardless of taste and preference, there are plenty of options and recipes for everyone who wants to introduce cilantro into their diet.
Here are the easiest ways to use cilantro for heavy metal detox:
∙ Add it fresh as a culinary herb to salads, smoothies, soups, sauces, dips, salsas, noodles, curries, stir-fries, or stew.
∙ Make cilantro tea by steeping fresh or dried leaves in hot water for about 10 minutes.
∙ If fresh cilantro is not available, you can use dried cilantro as a spice.
∙ If you can’t consume the detoxifying ingredients all at once, you can also consume them separately, in different dishes or meals throughout the day.
∙ In order to make the most out of cilantro’s properties, add pure, super-concentrated cilantro extract to your drinks, dips, or smoothies.
∙ Try our delicious healthy noodle recipes and top them with chopped fresh coriander.
We also have a couple of simple ideas that you can use for inspiration for a creamy guacamole inspired by the Medical Medium:
✤ Ruby Guacamole ✤
Ingredients:
∙ 2 avocados
∙ 1 minced garlic clove
∙ ½ finely chopped red onion
∙ 1 handful bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
∙ a little bit of jalapeño for spiciness
∙ the juice from half a lime or lemon
∙ salt and pepper to taste
∙ pomegranate seeds for topping
How to prepare it:
▻ Mix all the ingredients together, except the pomegranate seeds, and mash with a fork until smooth.
▻ Add pomegranate seeds on top.
▻ Eat it right away to avoid oxidation, or drizzle lemon/lime juice on top and store in the fridge until later.
✤ Complete Detox Smoothie ✤
Ingredients:
∙100g fresh or frozen wild blueberries (or 1 scoop powder dissolved in water, or 100 ml wild blueberry juice)
∙ 100ml barley grass juice (or mix 1 tbsp powder in 100ml water)
∙ 1 tsp spirulina powder
∙ 1 ml cilantro extract
∙ 1 tsp Atlantic dulse flakes
∙ 100ml fresh orange juice
∙ ½ banana
How to prepare it:
▻ Mix all the detoxifying ingredients together, add the orange juice for extra freshness and vitamin C, and ½ banana for extra sweetness, magnesium, and consistency. Blend in a food processor, smoothie maker, or blender, until smooth. Serve immediately and enjoy!
We recommend only the use of pure, natural supplements, and if you decide to add them to your diet, always consult a doctor first.
